


Wake Before You Fall

by ElectricityLingerss



Series: One Hundred Ways To Say 'I Love You' [7]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Loki is a dick, M/M, Spells & Enchantments, Temporary Amnesia, Tony Stark Hates Magic, angst then fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-29
Updated: 2015-10-29
Packaged: 2018-04-28 20:06:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5104064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElectricityLingerss/pseuds/ElectricityLingerss
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One hundred ways to say 'I love you' number 7 - 'I dreamt about you last night.'</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wake Before You Fall

Tony felt kind of floaty. He didn’t have a single care in the world at that moment. His eyes were closed, but he could tell he was outside. The sounds of the city breathing were all around him. Car horns blared, traffic flowed and faint voices wafted through the air. He felt a soft breeze on his face and sighed in easy contentment. 

He was lying down, probably on one of the deck chairs on the roof of the tower. He couldn’t remember exactly why he was there, but he couldn’t care less, safe in his bubble of relaxation. His pillow shifted slightly and he dragged his eyes open to look behind him, his gaze locking with Steve’s. He smiled dopily and snuggled further into Steve’s chest as a warm feeling spread through his body. 

“Hey there, sleepyhead,” Steve murmured. 

“Mmmm.” Tony was still too caught up in sleep to form coherent words. 

Steve laughed softy. “Looks like you needed the sleep.” He brushed his fingertips down the side of Tony’s face. “You work too hard.”

“Nuh-uh. Work just the right amount. I’m very important I’ll have you know. Kind of a big deal in the energy business…”

“Really? I had no idea.” Tony smiled sleepily and leaned into Steve’s fingers.

“How long was I asleep?”

“A couple of hours. You looked so peaceful I didn’t want to wake you.”

Tony twisted and sat up, coming face to face with Steve. The sun was setting behind Steve’s head, the deep orange glow setting light to Steve’s hair and making it shine a deep golden colour. “You wonderful sap,” he said as he placed his palms on Steve’s stomach. “You’ve been sitting here for hours while I used you as a pillow?”

“Well, why not? I’ve got no plans tonight.” He smirked. “I’m not one to turn down an opportunity to have you draped all over me.” His hands lightly skimmed up and down Tony’s sides. 

Tony caught Steve’s left hand and brought it to his mouth, brushing a kiss across the sparkling vibranium wedding band that wrapped securely around his ring finger. Tony closed his eyes and sat still for a few moments, just rubbing his lips against the warm metal and basking in the feeling that Steve was his. Steve had _married_ him. He still couldn’t wrap his head around it. He had never felt this kind of giddy disbelief before in his life. 

But this was different. With Steve, it was like his whole life was infused with a haze of euphoria. He only had to think of Steve and his heartbeat sped up. A lovesick smile spread across his face at the mention of his name. And if anyone referred to Steve as his husband? He felt such a deep sense of rightness that he damn near swooned. He was disgusted with himself really. Tony Stark was not the type of man who melted into a puddle of goo in the face of a pair of pretty blue eyes, or waxed poetic about a smile. But then he fell in love. And really, doesn’t that always change everything?

Tony just sat there, legs draped over Steve’s lap and arms slung around his neck as he gazed into his eyes, secure in the knowledge that he could stay exactly where he was forever and not once want to be anywhere else. 

Steve’s face seemed to blur in front of him for a moment and he blinked, trying to clear the fog from his brain. Steve stayed right where he was, smiling serenely as he linked their fingers together. Tony tried to smile back, but a sharp ache in his head had his features contorting in pain. He attempted to say Steve’s name, but a harsh gasp was all that came out. He extracted one hand from Steve’s grip and pressed it to his forehead. Tony started to feel a numbness spreading outwards from the arc reactor, and struggled to breathe as his lungs turned to concrete. 

His gaze shot to Steve as the panic began to build, only to freeze as he saw Steve’s skin start to shine with an unearthly blue sheen. Tony lurched forward in horror as he watched Steve’s face slowly drain of colour, becoming translucent before his eyes. All the while, Steve’s expression never shifted away from that eerie smile. Tony ignored the detached feeling of his body and grasped Steve’s hand, only to recoil with a choked gasp as Steve’s wedding ring turned to ice before his eyes. It cracked open and fell to the ground where it shattered into a thousand pieces. 

Tony could feel himself slipping as the lack of oxygen started to take its toll, but he didn’t stop trying to scream, hoping that someone would come and help him. He couldn’t wrench his eyes away from the sight in front of him as everything he loved faded away. The last thing he saw before unconsciousness claimed him was Steve’s beautiful face encased in a prison of ice.

•••

Tony woke with a jerk. He came back to himself with such force that he physically threw himself backwards away from the vision of Steve still lingering in the front of his mind. He felt himself falling and threw out an arm to support himself, but only succeeded in knocking a stray coffee mug to the floor, that had been sitting on the workstation he had been draped over.

He lay on the floor of his workshop in shock for a few moments, staring at the shattered remains of the mug. He tried to suck in some much needed oxygen and slow his thundering pulse. He felt like his heart was cracking in two as the cold of the concrete floor seeped into his body. God, the dream had seemed do real, he wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or devastated. 

He caught movement from the corner of his eye and forced his gaze away from the cracked porcelain to see Dum-E rolling towards him brandishing a fire extinguisher. Tony forced himself upright and stuck out his hand towards the bot in a placating gesture, not quite able to speak yet for fear of dissolving into sobs. 

He tried to ignore how his hand trembled and shook and concentrated on Dum-E. The bot seemed to understand and placed the extinguisher back in its place by the wall, before he rolled up next to Tony. Dum-E beeped questioningly and extended his arm towards Tony, obviously trying to help in some way. 

A fragile smile crept onto Tony’s face as he grabbed hold of Dum-E’s claw and held it in a death grip. He leaned forward and rested his forehead on the reassuringly solid press of the bot’s metal arm and attempted to breathe evenly. 

His mind was still tangled up in a confusion of spinning emotions, but at least the vividness of the dream was starting to fade. He steeled himself and swallowed the lump in his throat before dragging his eyes down to look at the fingers on his left hand. He couldn’t quite hold in the cry of despair when he confirmed the empty state of his ring finger. He wanted so much for that part of the dream to be real. Loki’s voice drifted through his mind, mocking him. _“Let’s see if he ever really loved you…”_

“J-JARVIS,” Tony choked out, his voice strangled. “Where… Is Steve ok?”

“Captain Rogers is in the gym, Sir, sparing with Agent Romanov,” The AI replied promptly. “As far as I can tell he is in perfect health. Would you like me to enquire to be sure?”

“No. No, that’s… No.” Tony knew he was being ridiculous. It was just a dream after all. But… “Bring up a live feed of the gym would you, J?”

“Certainly, Sir.”

The holoscreen in front of Tony lit up and sure enough there was Steve – laughing as Natasha said something to him. He looked fine – full of life, no trace of ice. Tony just sat and stared at Steve’s face on the screen for several minutes, and was assailed by a tide of longing so strong that he had to fight for breath again. 

He had to remind himself that this was all for Steve’s own good. He had to stay strong and not let the cracks show. He was falling apart and he was sure the whole of the team knew it. But. He had to keep it together for Steve. 

Tony was still clinging desperately to Dum-E when he heard the door to the workshop swish open. He looked up to see Bruce hurrying into the room and looking around worriedly. He let out a distressed breath when he spotted Tony still huddled on the floor. 

“Tony, are you alright? JARVIS told me to come down.” Bruce crouched in front of Tony on the floor, trying to catch his eye. Tony didn’t move from where he was, by now, practically wrapped around Dum-E. 

“I’ve been better,” he whispered miserably. 

“What happened?” Tony eyed Bruce and saw the concern shining from his eyes. “I can’t imagine how hard this is for you, Tony, but please let me help if I can.”

“There’s nothing you can do,” Tony rasped. “I… I had a nightmare. That’s all.” That and he was splitting apart at the seams. 

“About Steve?”

“Yeah. I-I don’t think I can talk about it.” Tony could feel himself about to break. If he tried to relive it, he would fall apart. His voice already began to waver. 

“Ok, it’s ok.” Bruce sat down next to him on the floor, close enough that their shoulder’s touched, and grabbed his hand, squeezing gently. 

Tony looked down at their clasped hands and got another eyeful of where a shining piece of vibranium should have been. “Bruce,” he choked out, “I can’t… Can’t do this much longer.” He closed his eyes as the tears finally started to spill over. Bruce wrapped his arms around him as he cried silently, tugging him against his chest. “The way he looks at me-“ he broke off and took a shuddering breath. “Like I mean nothing to him-“

“Tony, I know you must have heard this a million times over the last few months, but you can’t give up.” Bruce paused when Tony snorted grimly. “No-one has any doubts that he loves you, that’s not even a question. I don’t know why it’s taking so long, but he _will_ remember, Tony. You need to believe that. You _know_ he loves you.”

“I thought I did.” When Loki first cast the spell on Steve, Tony wasn’t even remotely concerned. He had thought the spell would be broken in a matter of hours. 

That was five months ago.

•••

It was during a routine callout that it had happened. They had received word of a sighting of Loki in Central Park, and were sent out to investigate. No one in the team had expected much. They had been called out to drunken idiots in Halloween costumes too many times to be worried. Turned out that was a mistake.

Almost as soon as they entered the park, Steve was hit by a ball of bright red light that spread all over his body, obscuring him from the view of the Avengers. It all happened so fast, that they were powerless to do anything to help. Almost as soon as it started, the light ebbed away, leaving Steve in an unconscious sprawl on the grass. Tony ran towards him, but was blocked by Loki suddenly appearing in between him and Steve. 

“What the fuck did you do to him?” Tony yelled in Loki’s face. He went to grab him by the front of his jacket, but his gauntleted hands went straight through the fabric. Tony let out a frustrated growl before walking straight through the illusion to crouch at Steve’s side. 

“A simple spell, really,” the god replied coolly.

“What is the meaning of this, Loki?” Thor demanded, stepping closer. 

“This, _brother,_ is to teach Stark a valuable lesson in humility.”

“What did you do?” Tony yelled again as he cradled Steve’s head in his lap.

“I cast a Freyja’s Fury spell on him,” Loki replied smugly, his smile broadened at Thor’s dismayed gasp.

“For what possible reason?” Thor thundered.

“Mischief brother. After all it’s in my nature.”

“This is more than mere mischief, Loki.”

Loki sobered. “Yes it is. “

“This will not turn out as you desire,” Thor warned his brother.

“We shall see.”

“Thor, will you stop with the family reunion and tell me what the hell is going on?” Tony cried in distress, as he looked down into Steve’s unconscious face. 

Thor looked reluctant to elaborate, so Loki spoke for him. “It is a truth spell of sorts. When he wakes, he will have no memory of his relationship with you, will have no recollection of ever having been involved romantically with you and will see you as nothing more than an friend.” Loki paused as the shocked exclamations of the Avengers reached his ears. “If he truly ever loved you and you him, he will regain his memories on his own. However, if your relationship was all superficial, an infatuation, he will live on forever ignorant of what you once had. Only the worthy and true of heart can recover from such a spell. ”

Tony sat in shock, struck dumb by Loki’s words. He clutched Steve tighter to his body. 

“Good luck, Stark. I expect you’ll need it.” He started to fade away before popping back into existence. “Oh, I almost forgot. If any of you tell him of his real past or of his involvement with Stark, he will die.” With that, he snapped his fingers and Steve groaned, starting to wake up. Tony looked down just in time to see both his and Steve’s wedding bands shimmer and disappear.

•••

Back then, Tony had been totally secure in the knowledge that Steve loved him utterly and completely, but five months had passed since then, and Tony’s faith had slowly been draining out of him with each passing day.

Thor had explained that it was an ancient spell, the purpose of which was to test the strength of the bond between couples. 

“It is said that insincerity and deception are the things that anger the goddess, Freyja the most,” Thor explained to a distraught Tony after they made it back to the tower. “If someone believes a person to be false in their regard, the Freyja’s Fury is cast and the truth will be revealed.” Tony had no idea how to feel, but Thor was quick to reassure. He placed a hand on Tony’s shoulder and squeezed softly. “I am truly sorry that you will have to suffer through this, my friend. But you can rest assured that you have nothing to fear. It is clear to see that Steven’s love for you is genuine to the deepest degree. You must have faith.”

Sounds simple, right? But even Thor’s unshakable optimism started to waver as more time passed with no improvement. 

One of the worst things was the bedroom in the penthouse. All of Steve’s possessions that had no link to Tony had been transferred back to Steve’s bedroom on his old floor. Things like Steve’s favourite blanket that hadn’t left their bed in five years. All of his books, his art supplies, his clothes. All of the little things that held the promise of another person, the knowledge that he wasn’t alone, had been stripped away. 

All he had left were the things that Steve couldn’t be allowed to see. The numerous sketchbooks filled with page after page of Tony, love infused into every line and shade. He often found himself flicking through the sketchbooks for hours at a time, tears smudging the pencil and ink, trying to convince himself that there was still hope. That Steve really had loved him. That it would all be ok. 

Tony also had the photographs. Their wedding photo was the one that he had poured over the most, overanalysing everything and looking for reassurances. After a while the images seemed to mock him. They were just a reminder of everything he no longer had. Tony had to take them all down and hide them eventually; just the pain of looking at them was too much for his fragile heart to bear. 

It got to the point around a month in, where he couldn’t face the bedroom at all, and took to sleeping on the couch in the living room, or down in the workshop. Unfortunately, even the workshop seemed cold and empty without Steve’s presence. He wasn’t there to force Tony to eat or to drag him to bed. There was no soothing sound of pencil on paper from Steve sketching in the corner, or Steve’s velvet smooth voice distracting him and tempting him away from his work. No strong arms wrapped around him from behind when he started swaying with exhaustion, or warm lips fastened to his neck when Steve wanted attention. 

Tony felt Steve’s absence like a missing limb. 

At the beginning, Tony had tried to just be Steve’s friend. He had craved his company. But in the end it was too hard. He was simultaneously plagued with the fear that he would accidently blurt out the truth and the constant icy pain of the distance in Steve’s eyes. He was civil, nothing more. 

The team did their best to be supportive, and were wonderful with Steve. But Tony could see the escalating worry in their eyes as hopelessness started to creep in. None of them had anticipated the spell lasting this long. But in the end, they were just as helpless as Tony. It was all on Steve.

•••

The morning after Tony’s breakdown in the workshop, he was stumbling around the kitchen in search of coffee, not having slept a wink the previous night. His eyes still felt gritty and puffy, but he was hoping like hell that caffeine would help him feel more human.

He had just taken his first sip when Steve wandered hesitantly into the room. Tony immediately stiffened and started to back away towards the door to the workshop. He’d been trying to give Steve as much space as possible, scared to death that he might accidently reveal something that would get his husband killed. Or was it ex-husband now? His stomach clenched at the thought. 

“Tony,” Steve said before he could escape, “Can I, uh, talk to you for a second?”

“Um, I’m actually a little busy right now, Steve, lots to do, companies to run and the like-“

“This’ll only take a second. Please.”

It was the ‘please’ that finally got to Tony. He sighed and nodded, preparing for the worst.

“I’m not sure how to explain, but I’ve been having these weird flashes lately, like thoughts that pop into my head out of nowhere.” Steve paused and looked up at Tony, only to gasp and lunge towards him when he saw the look of stark terror on the genius’ face. 

Tony recoiled when Steve came closer, wrapping his arms around himself and breathing deep, even though he wanted more than anything to close the gap between them. Steve looked slightly hurt by the rejection, but Tony couldn’t let himself hope. 

“What… What kind of thoughts?” Tony asked hesitantly.

“It was nothing much to start with, just flashes of a bedroom that isn’t mine, a different living room, and… It was more of a feeling really. Like warmth, security.” Steve smiled faintly. “But then…” He trailed off with a slight blush staining his cheeks. 

“Then what?” Tony whispered.

“I, uh, I dreamt about you last night.”

Tony felt his heart skid to a stop in his chest. “Oh, God.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m sorry, but it just felt so _real_ , and with all this other stuff… I just had to… Check.” Steve gazed at him steadily. “What does it mean?”

“What, um. What exactly did you dream?”

“You and I were, um, together. We weren’t doing much, just sitting together and, ehm, kissing. A little. But it just felt so _right_ , being with you like that…” Steve trailed off and frowned as he rubbed his forehead. “What… What’s happening to me?”

“Steve, I… Don’t know what to say.” Tony wanted so badly to run over to Steve and kiss him until he remembered exactly what those memories meant, but he held himself back – unable to take the risk even as a cascade of hope built inside him.

Steve gasped and snapped his head up, staring intently at Tony. “You... You’ve said that to me before. When I, I had a ring…” he trailed off with a glance down at his left hand, before his eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed to the floor, unconscious. 

“Shit, Steve!” Tony cried as he ran to him. He’d had quite enough of Steve passing out on him for one lifetime. Just as before, he cradled Steve’s head carefully in his lap and looked down at his face. But this time, he didn’t look peaceful in sleep; his features were twisted as if in pain. Tony started to panic as a soft red glow began to sink into Steve’s skin. “JARVIS, get Bruce up here, now!”

“I have already alerted him, Sir. He should be with you momentarily.”

Suddenly there was a flash of green and Tony lifted his head to see Loki standing placidly in the middle of the kitchen. 

“ _You_ ,” Tony snarled, “What did you do to him this time?”

“Nothing, I assure you.” Loki gazed at Steve’s face with a sigh. “This is all his own doing.”

“Listen you fucker, I reached the end of my patience for your evasive bullshit years ago, so cut the crap and tell me what the _fuck_ is happening to _my husband!_ ”

“Touchy, touchy,” Loki tutted. “You needn’t worry, Stark. This is simply the manifestation of his memories returning to him.”

Tony gasped as his eyes shot back to Steve’s face, now clear and relaxed. “He… He’ll remember?”

“It would appear so.” 

Tony choked down a sob of relief that threatened to bubble free as he bent down to rest his forehead against Steve’s. “Why,” Tony whispered. “Why did you do this to me?”

Loki sneered. “I’ve been watching you. All of you. Your little team managed to best me – a feat that I am still at a loss to account for.” Loki wandered around the kitchen as he spoke, clearly relishing being in control. He skimmed his fingers over one of the marble work surfaces before studying his fingertips closely. “You interested me the most. The paradox. Tragedy has stained your life almost the whole way through, and yet you have it all. No longer the man with everything and nothing, you have a family, a life.” He paused to gaze down at Steve. “Love.” He looked back up at tony with hate filling his eyes. “We’re not so different, you and I, both born into legacy and expectation. And yet you emerge with the world at your feet while I am left to rot in the prisons of the realm I was supposed to rule over as king. I wanted to see you suffer, I won’t deny it, but more than that I want you to appreciate what you have. Hopefully now you’ll realise just how fortunate you are.”

Loki paused at Tony’s incredulous stare. “I’m _nothing_ like you,” he whispered, feeling a hole opening up in his heart. 

Loki smirked. “Think that if you must.”

Tony could do little more than stare slack-jawed at the god as his mind whirled. “You bastard. You put me through hell because you’re _jealous?”_

Loki lurched forward and leaned down so he was nose to nose with Tony. Tony flinched back, tugging Steve closer to his body protectively. “I put you _through hell_ because this was a lesson you needed to be taught.” He lowered his voice to a menacing rasp. “Think on what you have lived through these past months, and know how truly luck you are.” With that, he stood back and snapped his fingers once again before vanishing in a mist of green. 

Tony felt Steve stir and his gaze shot to his face. He raised his left hand to caress Steve’s cheek, and inhaled brokenly when he saw the familiar band of smooth metal once again hugging his ring finger. He groped to the side for Steve’s hand and felt something easing in his chest at the sight of the matching band. He brought Steve’s hand to rest against his lips and let he heat of Steve’s skin seep into him after so long without being able to touch. 

Bruce burst into the kitchen a few seconds later, followed by the rest of the Avengers, all kitted out for a fight. 

“Tony! Are you ok? What happened?” Bruce rushed out as he kneelt down beside Steve. His fingers immediately went to Steve’s neck, searching for a pulse.

“I think he’s going to be ok,” Tony said in a wobbly voice. Steve was groaning softly now, his eyes fluttering open. “You’re ok, Steve, just relax.” Steve sighed deeply and his eyes slid closed once more. 

“What happened? JARVIS called me up here, but I couldn’t get through the door. I was a few seconds away from unleashing Clint on it with some exploding arrows.”

Tony looked up at the petulant look on Clint’s face, no doubt disappointed about not getting to use his favourite toy. He smiled at the archer briefly before focusing back on Bruce. “Loki was here. He must have blocked you guys from coming in.” The rest of the team looked around the kitchen warily, probably wondering if he was still lurking about. 

“Did he hurt you?” Bruce asked.

“No, he… he just came to torment me.” He continued to stroke Steve’s cheek while he looked at his team with a smile. “He started to remember.” Tony couldn’t help the tears that started to well up. “Loki, he came to… I think the spell is broken.” He held up his left hand as proof. “He was remembering, and he passed out again. That’s when Loki showed up.”

Bruce squeezed his shoulder. “What did I tell you?” 

Tony gave a watery smile and finally started to relax for the first time in months. The rest of the avengers gathered in close and murmured their congratulations, forming a protective barrier around the couple on the floor.

•••

A few hours later, Tony and Steve were lying in bed – their bed – in the penthouse. Steve was still unconscious, which Bruce assured was to be expected after the strain his mind had been put under. Tony had enlisted the help of Thor to carry Steve up to their suite, not wanting to keep him on the cold kitchen floor for too long.

Now Tony was lying wrapped around his husband like a blanket, watching him sleep and hoping like hell that he he’s be himself again when he woke up. Despite Loki’s claims and the return of their rings, Tony couldn’t shed the lingering doubts that had wormed their way into his brain. 

Loki’s words ran on a loop around his head as he stared at Steve’s beloved face. If he took anything he had for granted before, he never would again. He had been deliriously happy ever since he and Steve had first gotten together, but he had never thought someone could resent his happiness so much that they would take it all away without a second thought. 

He was working himself up to another panic attack when Steve’s breathing changed. He snuffled sleepily before inhaling long and loud. Tony braced himself as Steve blinked awake. 

“Hey, Steve,” he whispered softly.

“Hey yourself,” Steve replied with a soft smile, before it melted into a confused frown. “Ugh, what happened? My head feels like someone took a sledgehammer to it.” He sat up gingerly, palm clasped to his forehead. 

“It’s, uh, hard to explain. What do you remember?”

Steve’s brows furrowed in concentration. “Were we in the kitchen?” Tony nodded encouragingly at Steve’s puzzled expression. “I was telling you something important…” He suddenly bolted completely upright and gasped. “Oh my God, I… I forgot. I forgot everything. Tony, I… What…?” He trailed off and looked so distressed that Tony lunged at him, dragging him into a hug. 

“It’s alright, you’re ok, baby. Just take it slow.” He pulled back slightly to look at him. 

Steve looked gutted. “You haven’t called me that in months,” he whispered.

“I know. Couldn’t risk it.” He took a deep breath and clutched Steve’s shoulders. “There were more than a few close calls, though.”

“I don’t understand,” Steve whispered miserably. “What, happened to me?” 

Tony told him everything, never once moving more than an inch away. Now that he had Steve back, he wasn’t likely to let him out of his sight any time soon. When he had finished, Steve looked positively murderous. 

“That piece of _shit_. I’ll make him pay for putting you through that.” He moved to slide off the bed, but Tony yanked him back.

“Whoa, slow down there, Cap. I’m ok. _You’re_ the one who had a god digging around inside your head.”

“But Tony, I… You were all alone. I can’t imagine what that must have felt like.” Steve tugged Tony against his chest, his fingers running soothingly through his hair. 

“Yeah,” Tony’s voice wobbled. “I’m not going to lie; that sucked. A lot.” He took a shuddering breath before tipping his face up to look at Steve. “But the important thing is that you’re ok. And you’re you again. I, uh. I may be a little clingy for a while.” Tony tightened his arms around Steve’s neck. “Just a heads up.”

“Not as clingy as I’m going to be.” Steve rested his forehead against Tony’s. He pulled back suddenly to look him in the eye. “You did know you had nothing to worry about though, right? I was always going to remember you.”

Tony’s gaze slid away. “Deep down I knew. I know you love me just as much as I love you.” He gazed back into Steve’s eyes hesitantly. “But… I had some bad days where I thought maybe… You were just taking so long…” He trailed off in an agonized whisper. 

Steve brushed away some stray tears on Tony’s cheeks with his thumbs, his own eyes suspiciously glassy. “Tony,” he gasped, “I’m so sorry-“

“Stop. None of this was your fault, Steve. It was just Loki’s mind games and my own weakness.” He cupped Steve’s face and spoke with ironclad conviction. “I knew you’d come back to me.”

“I will,” Steve vowed. “Every single time. I love you.”

Tony gasped softly. “Say it again,” he begged. 

Steve pressed forward so that his lips grazed Tony’s as he spoke. “I love you.” Steve lifted his head to kiss away the tears flowing down Tony’s cheeks. “I love you, I love you, I love you.” 

Tony surged forwards and captured Steve’s lips in a kiss overflowing with joy and relief. Steve kissed him back with equal intensity, their tears mingling where their skin pressed together. Tony sucked Steve’s bottom lip into his mouth as he moved to straddle his husband, needing to be as close as possible. Their tongues tangled briefly and a low moan broke free from Steve’s throat as he ran his palms up Tony’s back. Tony pulled back, panting harshly and threaded their fingers together, his grip like a vice. 

“I love you too, baby.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks, for reading!  
> Hit me up [here](http://electricitylingerss.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr if you're in the mood!


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